Story:The Child
The Child is based on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode from the second season. Lieutenant Corey Aster, the assistant engineer, was impregnated by a non-corporeal being seeking to experience what it's like to be a humanoid, with potentially disastrous consequences for the Excelsior. Plot As the USS Excelsior begins to head for Rachelis, an energy pulse enters the ship. The pulse goes through the ship's corridors and crew quarters until it comes across Lt. Corey Aster, asleep in his quarters. He suddenly wakes up as his body is entered by a strange alien entity. In Engineering, Aster becomes dizzy and faint. Under Lt. Cmdr Robin Lefler's orders, he is sent to sickbay where Dr. - discovers something shocking. This calls for an emergency meeting in the Observation Lounge. Captain Ian Quincy Knapp then announces to the senior staff (minus Lefler, who is still in Engineering) that Aster is pregnant, which surprises Aster's ex-boyfriend and fellow crewmate Ro Nevin and he says so. Aster says it's even more of a surprise for him, since only female humans can get pregnant. Henglaar takes over and then reports on two separate examinations of Aster. The first exam shows the fetus at a rather early stage of development but still rather advanced considering she and Aster believe conception took place eleven hours previous, news which shocks Ro Nevin. Henglaar says the news just gets better as a second examination, which took place a few hours later shows that the fetus seems to have gained several weeks of growth. Henglar says that at that rate, Aster will be ready to give birth in only 36 hours, while the normal Human gestation period is nine months. Ro Nevin turns to Aster and, while he doesn't mean to sound indelicate, he demands to know who impregnanted is. Aster says that while he slept the night before, something that she can only describe as a presence entered his body. Ro Nevin asks Henglaar what the baby is and she says it is a female fetus, exactly as Aster and there is no evidence of any genetic material other than hers. Myra Elbrey believes that the child represents a threat to the Enterprise's security and should be aborted. Cmdr. Elizabeth Shelby says to Knapp that doing so would deprive them of the opportunity to study this new lifeform. Elbrey says that laboratory analysis should still be possible if there is an abortion. When Shelby asks if there would be any risks to Aster in such a procedure, Aster (who has been hearing the baby's heartbeat as the others discuss the situation) finally speaks to Knapp and says that he should do what is necessary to protect Enterprise, but that he is going to have this baby, shocking everyone present in the lounge. And an surprised Knapp then says the discussion is over. When Jorian Dao is walking to the corridor, he sees Aster in pain. He sees him having back pain and takes him to sickbay. Henglaar scans him and learns that he is in labor. Jorian Dao summons security. Later, Aster is undergoing an cesarean section. However, Aster passes out and Henglaar discovers that the stress of the labor is taking a toll on Aster's body by increasing his blood pressure to a dangerous climate and his heart rate is dropping. Henglaar realizes that in order to stabilize Aster is to deliver the baby. Ro Nevin is standing by the wall, watching and worrying about Aster. Then Henglaar delivers Aster's baby daughter. Following the delivery, Aster regain conciseness, as he is finally stabilize. Aster embraces his daughter and names her Marla, after his aunt who died years before while serving aboard the USS Enterprise. Category:Articles by the user Runwaygirl20